A Time Traveler's Fate
by dearmaggie
Summary: "Tom Riddle. There was a spark of recognition at the name, but she couldn't quite place where she'd heard it before. It probably wasn't important, she decided. She was wrong." Thrown back in time, Rowan comes face to face with the one person that she has fought against her whole life. But is he as evil as she believes? TOM RIDDLE/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter series. I don't. Obviously. That's why I'm here.**

**A/N: So I can't guarantee how often I will update this with school and all, but I will try my hardest.**

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**Chapter 1.**

15 November 1995.

She watched with horror-stricken eyes as her beloved home went up in flames. The windows had been smashed out and smoke curled high into the night sky already marred by the grotesque Dark Mark. A hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she flinched reflexively. She looked at her mother standing beside her and saw her own sadness mirrored by her mother's eyes.

They stood there for a few moments not speaking, just silently grieving for all that was good in the world. Finally, as is they had come to an unspoken agreement, they turned away from the burning house and started back through the trees to the designated safe place decided upon by the family.

Entering the clearing in the forest, she counted the rest of her family already there. Her father, Shadrak, was sitting on a tree stump, his obsidian eyes clouded in thought. Her younger sisters Mizelli and Hespbeth were holding one another, their arms shaking with sobs. Her own eyes pricked with tears as she remembered what had happened in the last hour. Joenha, who'd previously been pacing, met her eyes and strode over to them quickly.

"_Slavă Domnului_. I thought you were dead when you didn't make it back," He murmured as he embraced her. She winced as his hand brushed over a cut on her arm but didn't step out of the embrace. She needed his comfort, his security, for someone to tell her it was going to be alright.

Their father broke up their reunion first by saying, "It isn't safe to stay here. Death eaters will be searching the forest when they realize that we are not dead. We need to leave now. Joenha, Rowan, let's go."

She looked around the campsite and almost laughed at the irony of it all. They'd hidden their Romani heritage for most of her life, and here they were, fleeing the country like the Gypsies that they were. Fate was cruel at times. Gingerly placing a hand on the portkey, she felt that familiar pull behind her navel and was gone.

Rowan woke, gasping in her bed. It had been almost two years since the attack that had pushed her family to flee Romania, but she'd relived it every night since. Sometimes like tonight, she only relived part of it, but other times her ears filled with the sounds of bloodcurdling cries until she woke up screaming in her own bed.

Tugging a jumper on over her nightgown, she crept past the rest of her roommates and snuck down to the common room. Sinking into a familiar armchair, she drew up her knees to herself and stared into the fire, shadows dancing across her face.

After her family had left Romania, Dumbledore had taken them in, finding a home for her parents and enrolling the children in Hogwarts. She'd tried to be inconspicuous there, but with her olive skin tone, dark curly hair, and electric blue eyes, she'd stood out like a sore thumb. The Gryffindors had accepted her easily while the Slytherins took to calling her names like "Gypsy whore," but she ignored them and focused on her studies. She planned on returning to Romania as soon as she graduated to fight.

How long she sat staring into the fire, she didn't know, but rays of sunlight started pouring in through the windows and she decided to dress and head down to breakfast. Tying her hair into a braid and changing into a uniform, she walked to the Great Hall before anyone else was up.

Sitting on a bench, food magically appeared in front of her. Her mouth watered as she smelled the aromas of sausage and potato. Filling her plate, she was about to take a bite when an owl flew in and dropped a letter and parcel beside her.

Lowering her fork, she examined the letter and recognized the scrawl of her brother Joenha's handwriting. Joenha was two years older and had just graduated the year before. The second he'd stepped off Hogwarts grounds he'd gone to Romania to fight. Rowan was in a constant state of worry for him, though she knew that she would be following in his footsteps in two years time. A wave of apprehension came over her as she opened the letter.

_**Rowan.**_

_**I have been fighting here for five months now as you know. The death eaters never cease, and I'm not sure when or if I will be able to come home. I need you to do me a favor, it's very important. In the box, there is a time turner. The Dark Lord is looking for it for reasons I do not know. Please hide it in the place that only we've seen. Do not tell anyone what I have said.**_

_**Be safe.**_

_**J.**_

Her hands shook as she read the note. Grabbing the parcel, she raced to the Forbidden Forest. When Joenha was still in school, they would explore the Forest and tell their secrets to each other. One time while they were practicing their dueling skills, they'd come across a tree hollowed out. She was sure that this is what he was talking about when he said to hide it.

Carefully opening the package, her eyes widened as she looked down at the time turner glittering in the light. Examining it closer, she noticed the tiny grains of sand encompassed by the hourglass and the notch that must be what you turn to change the time. A part of her wanted to run and tell Dumbledore, but the other side of her, the curiosity, won out and she sat there, marveling in the wonder of such a device. Toying with the time turner, she jumped when a crash echoed through the forest.

Looking down, her mouth opened in horror as she watched the hourglass start rotating. Her thumb must've accidentally slipped on the notch and turned it. She tried to throw it away from her, but a force held her there until it stopped spinning. As soon as she was able to move again, she chucked it as far away from her as possible. _You idiot. You're going to need that to get back_. She almost blushed at her stupidity. Walking to where the time turner lay, Rowan's breath caught in her throat as she took in the state of the device. The glass had been shattered and the grains of sand had lost their luster and were scattered across the forest ground.

"Shit."

She cradled the time turner in her hands like a newborn baby and started off towards the castle. Hopefully she hadn't gone too far back; she would need Professor Dumbledore's help if she ever wanted to make it back to her own time. Making it to the castle, Rowan was relieved to find that everything looked almost exactly the same.

Dashing down a hallway, Rowan almost ran into someone as she turned the corner. Looking up, she couldn't help but feel relief. "Professor!" She yelled as she practically flung herself in Dumbledore's arms. He patted her back with an uncharacteristically bewildered expression on his face. Her face colored as she stepped away from him, realizing that he probably hadn't the slightest clue as to who she was.

"Er – excuse me, sir. You probably don't know me; I'm Rowan Kaasgard. This will sound a bit ridiculous, but I'm from the year 1995."

His eyes widened fractionally before he replied, "Hello Miss Kaasgard. I have a feeling that we should take this discussion to my office, don't you?" She nodded and followed as he led the way. She studied his appearance and was amazed to find only a few differences. His long white beard was shorter and an auburn color. He wasn't quite as wrinkled and his demeanor was less somber. His eyes still twinkled with mystery, though, and he gave off an air of irrevocable power.

Coming to a halt outside of the transfiguration office, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are we stopping here, Professor?"

He regarded her curiously. "This is my office, dear." Rowan could feel the panic begin to claw at her from the inside.

"What's today's date?"

"November 15, 1943. Are you alright, Miss Kaasgard?" Rowan began to hyperventilate. She didn't know much about time turners, few did, but she knew that they didn't travel that far back. Maybe two days at most, not fifty two years.

It took her a few moments, but she eventually calmed down enough to speak again. "I'm fine. I just .. Is there any way for me to get back? I mean, time turners only really go back a few hours usually. And I went back more than fifty years. How .. I mean … Why is this ?….." She trailed off, realizing that she'd been babbling like a maniac.

Dumbledore just watched her in amusement, his hands clasped in front of him. "It would seem that you might be here longer than predicted, but have faith. I will return you to the correct year. In the meantime, I suggest you enjoy your time here. You never know when you'll learn something valuable."

"Now, seeing as all of the students are still either asleep or getting ready, we have enough time to introduce you to Headmaster Dippet and announce your arrival at breakfast. It is of utmost importance that no one should discover the true nature of your circumstances, the consequences would be grave."

"I don't exactly blend in, Professor," she replied, and it was true. With her facial features, hair, and the array of bangles and piercings, it was hard to deny her heritage. He looked at her with a calculating gaze, making her fidget uncomfortably in her chair.

"You're quite right. Luckily, that will go perfectly with your story. You've fled to England to escape Grindewald's forces," she thought she saw a flash of sadness in his periwinkle eyes before it vanished. He continued, "It's widely known that he has been attacking Romanis as well as muggleborns. You have no family left, and you've been placed under my care." He stopped for a moment, asking her wordlessly if there was anything he'd left out. He took her silence as approval and waved a hand at her clothes, disappearing her red and gold tie and badge. "I think it's time to see Headmaster Dippet."

She followed him as they walked to the headmaster's office. The halls were deserted, and the only sound that broke the silence was the grating noise of the gargoyle turning to reveal a spiral staircase.

Dumbledore politely ushered her into the room where a stiff looking man, she assumed Headmaster Dippet, was sitting. Inside, Rowan was surprised by the absence of odd knickknacks and warmth and sweets she had come to expect in the office. Instead, the room was bland and orderly, lacking even an ounce of personality.

"We'll need you Sorted before we can arrange your classes. Put this on," Dippet said, the Sorting Hat in his hand and a puzzled look on his face. She blushed in embarrassment as she realized that he was speaking to her; she had completely missed Dumbledore's introduction.

Grabbing the Hat from his outstretched hands, she placed it on her head, only slightly surprised by the voice that began speaking.

"_You seem to know me, yet I have no memory of you. Why is that?_"

"_It's complicated, to put it simply._"

"_Hmm… Yes, I suppose you are right. No matter. I see that you aren't fit to be a Hufflepuff, too gentile for you. Nor a Ravenclaw. You are exceedingly cunning and sly, attributes of a Slytherin, but I also see bravery and courage._"

"_Oh please don't put me in Slytherin! I'll be skinned alive. They'd kill me before accepting a Gypsy_."

"_It's a shame. You would do well in that house._"

"_Please no._"

"_If you insist._"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rowan let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she gave the hat back to Dippet. He proceeded to drone on about rules and etiquette, but she barely paid attention, focusing instead on how close she'd been put into Slytherin.

The last time she was Sorted, it had come down between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Slytherin had been ruled out almost immediately, but now, if it hadn't been for her heritage, she surely would have been placed there. Her stomach churned at the thought.

Dippet led her down to the Great Hall, pointing out various classrooms along the way. She nodded and made noises of approval at appropriate moments but otherwise stayed quiet. When they'd come to the massive doorway, Dumbledore, who she hadn't even realized was still there, stopped her for a moment.

"Do you remember what I told you?" he asked. She nodded. "Good luck, then. Oh and Miss Kaasgard? I advise you to be cautious around Tom Riddle. He isn't all that he seems."

His words confused her, but she nodded nonetheless. There was a spark of recognition at the name, but she couldn't quite place where she'd heard it before.

It probably wasn't important, she decided.

She was wrong.

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**A/N: _Slavă Domnului _translates to "Praise the Lord"/"Thank God" in Romanian. Or at least that's what Google Translate says.**

**Please let me know what you think so I know whether to continue this story or not. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's Chapter 2! Thank you so much for the reviews. I was actually surprised by the amount of responses. In all honesty, I was expecting zero so thank you so so much. Without further ado...**

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**Chapter 2.**

15 November 1943.

All thoughts of Tom and Dumbledore's warning flew out the door when she stepped into the Hall. The chattering abruptly stopped, and everyone turned to gawk at the new girl, some with open mouths filled with half chewed food she noted with a grimace.

She raised her chin high and walked into the room, ignoring their stares and whispers.

"Who is _that_?"

"She looks exotic."

"Do you think she knows Dumbledore?"

"She's a gypsy, you idiot."

"Maybe Grindelwald is after her."

Dippet raised his hands to quiet the murmuring crowd. Clearing his throat, he began, "I have an important announcement to make. For the first time in Hogwarts' history, we have a transfer student: Rowan Kaasgard. She is a Gryffindor and will be starting her sixth year. Please give her a warm welcome." He turned and started clapping, triggering reluctant applause.

"You can sit down now, Miss Kaasgard." He nudged her when she didn't move right away. Walking down the steps, her eyes grazed over the Gryffindor table looking for a place to sit.

"Oi! Over here," a boy with unruly blonde hair said. Murmuring a thanks, she quickly slid onto the bench next to him.

He thrust out his hand for her to shake. "Charlus Potter. Sixth year." This is probably Harry's grandfather, she realized. Small world.

"Rowan Kaasgard," she replied, giving a curt shake before dropping his hand.

"Where are you from, Rowan?" Dippet glared at the two, Charlus grinned cheekily back, before continuing his speech.

"Romania," she whispered.

"Romania, huh? I've always wanted to go there. What is it like? Is it beautiful?" He asked, a wistful look on his face, as if he could see the green Carpathian Mountains through the walls.

Yeah, sure. If you don't look too hard at the dead bodies and casually ignore the war torn towns, it's perfect. She shuddered at the thought and was spared from answering as food magically appeared before them. Charlus piled his plate high with sausage and eggs and anything else that was near him while she grabbed a couple of pieces of toast.

"So why did you leave Romania?" he asked between bites of bacon.

Sipping her pumpkin juice, she replied, "My family was k-killed." She was a terrible liar and inwardly cursed at herself for stuttering. She could only hope that he mistook the stutter for grief.

He seemed to buy her lie as she watched his eyes bug out, and he apologized quickly.

She waved a hand. "It's fine. You didn't know."

He changed the subject. "How do you like Hogwarts so far?"

"It's beautiful. I love all of the little quirks, but I don't know anything about the students. Maybe you can tell me a little more about them?"

"Oh sure. Let's see, over there is Hufflepuff. They're friendly and nice. Ravenclaws are known as being exceptionally smart, and Gryffindors are brave." His brown eyes darkened as he looked at the silver and green in the far corner. "Slytherins are the worst of the worst, though. You should really stay away from them. Slippery bastards, the lot of them. Especially Tom Riddle."

Her ears perked up at that. "Who's Tom Riddle?" she asked innocently.

"Tom Riddle?" some girl with mousy brown hair and an obnoxiously high voice inserted, a tad breathy. "He's perfect and _so _handsome."

"_No, _he's an annoying teacher's pet." Charlus retorted.

"Oh, Charlus. Not your paranoid theories again," a brunette girl appeared behind them, smiling good-naturedly. "Hi, I'm Helen. Is he bothering you?"

"I'm NOT bothering her. I was just telling her to steer clear of Tom Riddle; he's bad news I'm telling you," Charlus said, his ears burning pink in embarrassment.

"He's just jealous because all of the girls in our year, probably the whole school actually, fancy Tom."

"—But he's never gone out with any of them. You would think he would at least seize the opportunity…"

"You pig! Tom is a gentleman, he would never do that," Helen shouted, smacking the back of Charlus's head.

"You know you love me," he grinned. Turning to Rowan, "Do you want me to walk you to class, Rowan?" he asked as he stood and gathered his books.

"Oh no, that's alright. I still have to get my timetable from Dippet. You go on," she smiled and waved before getting up herself and walking to where the headmaster, who appeared to be in an intense discussion with someone, stood.

She fidgeted there for a few minutes before clearing her throat. Dippet looked up, surprise flashing across his face at the interruption before understanding settled in his features.

"Ah. Miss Kaasgard. I take it you're looking for your timetable?"

"Yes, sir."

He rummaged through the pockets of his robe before he produced a parchment. Handing it to her, he said, "It seems that you have Potions first. Do you know where the classroom is?"

"Y—No." She grimaced at her slip-up. Rowan the exchange student wouldn't know where anything is, even if Rowan from 1995 did.

"No worries, dear. Tom here," he clapped a hand on the shoulder of the person he'd previously been talking to, "will show you where that is, won't you, Tom?"

She felt her breath catch in her throat and had to make a conscious effort not to let her jaw drop. So this was Tom Riddle. His dark, wavy hair was neatly parted to the side, and his eyes, so dark she almost thought they were black instead of blue, pierced straight through her. His perfectly symmetrical facial features were arranged into polite curiosity, but something was wrong in the expression, it was too deliberate, too artificial. It made her distinctly uneasy.

"Of course, Professor. It would be my pleasure," he said smoothly.

"Tom here is a Slytherin Prefect and no doubt on his way to being Head boy." Dippet chuckled and gave a wink to Tom. She almost rolled her eyes at the things coming out of Dippet's mouth. Obviously, he was under the same spell with Tom as the rest of school. "Now off you go. It wouldn't do for you to be late to your first class."

"Shall we, Miss Kaasgard?" Tom asked, his voice oozing charm. She nodded and walked beside him. _This_ was who Dumbledore warned her about? She could see why. He was devastatingly handsome and naturally charismatic, but something was different about him, something wrong.

"I do believe you are the first transfer student to grace Hogwarts," Tom said, effectively breaking her out of her thoughts. "Where are you from originally?"

"Romania," she said, fumbling with the ring given to her by her mother on her right hand. She had put it on when she got it for her fifteenth birthday and hadn't taken it off since. It bore the Kaasgard crest and had been inlaid with rubies. She'd developed a horrible habit of twisting it when she was nervous, which was exactly what she was doing right now.

"Why did you come here?" he asked, his eyes glancing down to her hands twisting the ring.

"M-my parents were killed," she said, her voice dropping an octave.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, his face carefully contrite. "Why did you come to Hogwarts, though? Surely you had relatives to stay with?"

"On the contrary. My parents were both the only child of their families. They left a will so Professor Dumbledore is my guardian now." She noticed his eyes harden at the mention of Dumbledore and made sure to file that tidbit away for later.

"How did they know each other?"

She panicked. How could she have forgotten a detail like that? His eyes narrowed when she didn't respond right away. "He met them on, erm, one of his travels. He was sharing a portkey with them, and they just hit it off. They were friends ever since."

She met his gaze, and it felt like he was peering into her very soul. As if he could see every secret, every fear, every desire she'd ever had. Like he was using —

_Legilimency_.

But that was impossible. The thought unnerved her, to say the least. Tearing her gaze from his, she noticed that they'd reached the Potions classroom. She let out a sigh of relief and strode into the classroom, making sure to sit far from Tom.

She didn't know much about him, but something was wrong with him.

He was dangerous and unlike anyone she'd encountered before.

And yet, his name was oddly familiar.

And that scared Rowan.

A lot.

She was consumed in her thoughts when a _SLAM!_ interrupted her. Jumping in her seat, she looked up to find a chubby boy in Slytherin robes glaring at her.

"You're in my seat."

She blushed and gathered her books, murmuring an apology before getting up as Slughorn came out and began taking roll. He seemed to stumble when he got to her name.

"Rowan Kaasgard?" She reluctantly raised her arm, feeling the intense stares of her classmates.

"Ah. Yes, you're the new exchange student. You can take a seat next to Tom here," he gestured to the open seat next to Tom. She felt the hateful glares coming at her from the girls in the room. Slughorn continued, "Now don't let Tom intimidate you. I know he's quite good, but make sure to work hard, too." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Yet another one of Tom Riddle's fan club members. Why was everyone so in love with him?

"Now class," Slughorn said after finishing taking roll. "For the next month we will be brewing Veritaserum. Can anyone tell me what Veritaserum is?"

Rowan instinctively raised her hand. "Veritaserum is a powerful truth serum, sir. It is clear, colorless, and odorless, making it almost impossible to detect."

"Exactly, my dear. Ten points to Gryffindor! Now, as I was saying, we will be brewing Veritaserum for the next month to prepare you for your N.E.W.T. exams. You and your partner will need to make a schedule because the potion requires three clockwise stirs every day in order to brew correctly. You may begin."

She reluctantly turned to Tom only to find him already out of his seat collecting the ingredients in the supply room. She felt anger rise up as she set up the cauldron, conjuring flames to heat the pot.

"Stupid, arrogant, bastard," she muttered under her breath as she scowled at the cauldron.

"Vulgarity is unbecoming for young women, wouldn't you say Miss Kaasgard?" She turned to find Tom watching her with a smirk on his perfect face. Her nostrils flared.

"Actually, I think it's bloody great, Riddle," his dark blue eyes narrowed at her briefly before returning to cool politeness. "Shall we get started on the schedule?"

They discussed their schedules for a while before coming to an agreement. She would take Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and he agreed to the rest of the week, though they would split Sundays between the two of them.

By the time they'd come to a suitable arrangement, class had ended. She gathered her different books and quills before stuffing them in her bag. She walked quickly out of the classroom, eager to get away from her new Potions partner. He was too bloody perfect, and it irritated her to no end.

Tom meanwhile watched her go, her thick curls bouncing slightly. She was hiding something, that much he was sure. The stuttering, twisting of her ring, and story that didn't quite add up only reinforced his suspicions. Stupid girl. Did she really think she could hide from him?

He was very persuasive; one flirtatious look and she would be spilling her innermost secrets before she even realized it herself.

_You can't hide from me, Rowan Kaasgard_, he thought, his eyes flashing a dangerous red before returning to their original color, _I will find your secrets_.

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**A/N: This wasn't my favorite chapter, but we're still setting up the story soooooo ya know.**

**Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed my first chapter. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside; it was spectacular. Please review again and don't be afraid to give me criticism. That helps me out the most :)**


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